In the Stamford Community

Published 10:38 am, Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Celebrating a grant given in June by the First County Bank Foundation to the Women’s Mentoring Network were Gerard Edens Fleurizard, Sara Tucker, Lana Gifas and Sandra Greer.

Celebrating a grant given in June by the First County Bank Foundation to the Women’s Mentoring Network were Gerard Edens Fleurizard, Sara Tucker, Lana Gifas and Sandra Greer.

Photo: Contributed / Contributed

In the Stamford Community

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SCENE

A ladder up

Volunteers, supporters and government representatives gathered July 24 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Shelter for the Homeless. The organization started in 1985 in response to the area’s rising visibly homeless population caused in part by a poor economy and a mass release of patients from mental health facilities.

“When the organization started, it was a hot and a cot,” said Executive Director Rafael Pagan Jr. “The men got a hot meal, a place to sleep, showers and limited case management service.”

Now, the shelter offers a range of services and serves not just Stamford, but New Canaan, Greenwich, Darien and beyond.

On hand for Friday’s celebration were state Sen. Carlo Leone and Mayor David Martin, among many donors and some beneficiaries.

One beneficiary, Matthew, said, “I was beyond despair and figured that coming here was better than a bridge.” He described the Pacific House staff as a “dream team” who had given him the chance to rebuild his life.

Today, he has a job and sees himself has having joined the effort that helped him back on his feet.

Families in Recovery is a long-term in-patient residential addiction treatment program for pregnant or parenting women.

“For many women, this is a critical tipping point, because a mother would rather go without help than be separated from her children,” said Alan Mathis, Liberation’s president and CEO.

In addition to addiction recovery, the program helps women learn positive parenting and daily living skills as they prepare to establish themselves as substance-free, self-sufficient parents.

Fairfield County’s Community Foundation promotes philanthropy as a means to create change in Fairfield County. More information: www.fccfoundation.org

Liberation Programs provides inpatient and outpatient recovery services for adults and families, with a special program for people living with AIDS, with service sites in Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk and Bridgeport. More information: liberationprograms.org

The network is a non-profit that provides workforce development and educational resources to low-income women and their families. Started in 1990, the Women’s Mentoring Network serves all of lower Fairfield County.

In addition to life-skills training and other services, the network also offers a First Generation Achievement Program to help prepare clients’ children for their futures. More information: www.wmninc.org

The First County Bank Foundation is the philanthropic organization started in 2001 to support families in communities where the bank has branches, including Stamford, Norwalk, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan and Westport. More information: firstcountybank.com/first-county-bank-foundation-inc

ALSO SEEN

Lost and found

On a recent Thursday, Stamford resident Mike Ryan was enjoying an afternoon on the water when he noticed a red channel marker that helps guide boaters in and out of the harbor had broken loose.

Ryan and his son David coralled the buoy, marker No. 10,where it was floating free in Westcott Cove and towed it to the boat ramp at West Beach, where they contacted the Coast Guard about it.

SAVE THE DATE

Offroading: Register now for The Spartan Race for kids, which is Sept. 26 and 27 in Mill River Park: spartankids.com